Immediately after the Apostle Peter recognizes Jesus as the Christ (something revealed to him from heaven), Peter rebukes Jesus for saying that He must be rejected and killed, (something inspired in Peter by satan). Even the Apostle Peter, even immediately after a heavenly revelation, could not accept that the way we enter into the Father’s Glory, the way we experience the Resurrection, is through suffering and death. Jesus, however, assures us that it is the way. We see the Kingdom of God coming in power by taking up our cross and following Christ (Mark 8:27-9:1).
I am so like Peter. I am sure that there is another way, another way to enter into Glory, a way other than asceticism, a way other than suffering, a way other than the Cross. But Jesus tells us that there is no other way.
Asceticism and suffering are ubiquitous. Life on the earth is often referred to as a valley of tears because suffering is universal. Atheists, Moslems, Christians, agnostics, Jews… It doesn’t matter. Everyone suffers. What then is the difference? What is this mystery that transforms suffering into Glory and Resurrection?
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